A Woman Ignored

A Woman Lost #2

by T.B. Markinson

Historian Lizzie Petrie remains nothing more than a lesbian in her bitter mother’s eyes. The suppressed hurt of that superficial assessment means she still catches herself off guard when thinking of Sarah as her wife. The couple has endured the fallout of Lizzie’s insecurities and set-up house in Fort Collins, Colorado. Now their relationship is about to be tested again.

When her wife announces she wants to have a baby, Lizzie panics. A baby? The thought of sucking an egg from her ovary and implanting the resulting embryo into Sarah’s womb terrifies her. Lizzie constantly worries if she’ll make a good mother.

Just when she starts to make peace with the idea, Lizzie’s estranged family enters her life again. The news is anything but good, and she finds herself wondering how to make amends with her aloof mother, stranger of a father, and self-centered brother.

Deep down, Lizzie is more loving and caring than she ever gives herself credit. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to open a woman’s eyes to her full potential. But at what price?

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Lesbian, Fiction, Lesbian Romance, Contemporary, Adult

173 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2015

About the author

T. B. Markinson is an American writer, living in England. When she isn't writing, she’s traveling the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good series!
I reread this and it's much better the second time around with an interesting, heartfelt even painful at times storyline.
Highly recommended book #2 and series!

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always feeling like the family outcast, the day Lizzie let her family know she was a lesbian, was the day they turned their backs on her. Now married to her love, Sarah, life is almost dreamlike, their relationship is strong, thanks to Sarah’s kind and understanding ways that make up Lizzie’s being. Things are great, right? They are a couple, legally bound, just the two of them, and that suits Lizzie fine. Who would have thought Sarah would drop the “I want your baby” bombshell! Lizzie is still reeling from that revelation when she gets sucker-punched by a call from her father, a man she hardly knows anymore. The news is bleak and Lizzie is expected to “do the right thing” and help the one woman who turned her back and heart away from Lizzie, her brutally cruel mother.

Enter her narcissistic brother, the master of his own universe, who has decided to marry a fluffy, but beautiful younger woman. Even her best friends cannot bring her around to thinking positive thoughts about ANYTHING going on in her life, right now. Will Lizzie tame her insecurities long enough to see what Sarah having a baby means in their relationship? After that, does anything else matter?

A Woman Ignored by T. B. Markinson is a humorous, heartbreaking and sometimes brutal slice of Lizzie’s life, and her finally learning to be secure enough in herself to accept love from others, and learn to leave the bitterness behind. Those who cannot accept her are bringing her down and it isn’t her problem. T.B. Markinson’s strife-filled world and the characters she has filled it with could be a tale of any conflicted person who has felt insecure and unworthy of love in a dysfunctional family. By bringing the lesbian slant into the mix, she has put a brutal spotlight on the lives of those who choose a different lifestyle than the majority of the world who, never having walked in their shoes, fail to see that people are more alike than we would care to admit. Meanwhile, Lizzie’s humor and attitude is priceless, simply priceless!

Completely entertaining series so far, and I am looking forward to the next phase of Lizzie’s life!


I received this copy from T. B. Markinson in exchange for my honest review.

Series: A Woman Lost - Book 2
Publication Date: February 23, 2015
Publisher: T. B. Markinson
Genre: Contemporary Romance \ Lesbian Romance \ Dysfunctional Family
Print Length: 173 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Les Rêveur · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELLO LIZZIE!!!  This was the book I was waiting for. We had a forthright Lizzie, who adored her wife and seriously just wanted her to be happy. I really fell for these two as a couple. Sarah really complements Lizzie in the way that she is a social butterfly; confident and very honest about her feelings whereas Lizzie is the polar opposite and together they make this beautiful power couple.

This is definitely my favourite book in the series so far. It was also really eye opening to see more of Lizzie’s family, which help the reader understand and sympathise with all her previous mistakes and heartbreaks.  Secondary character, Maddie has been floating around since book one and I really hope that in the next novel she finds someone to love.

Bring on book #3! 5 stars

[Elske · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. Had most of the books on my kindle for a long time, but hadn’t started reading them. Now I am hooked and binging. Love them

[Kris K · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars.

I already loved Lizzie from the previous books in the Woman Lost Series, despite being so lost and so self-centred but in this story we got to see a bit more of the real Lizzie, and she was fabulous. I loved this book so much because we witness her growth as a different woman. Despite of still being a bit lost, she is definitely changing thanks and for Sarah. Was so great to see how even when she was terrified of becoming a mother and that she didn’t think she could be a good mother, she is determined to make her wife happy, fighting her own insecurities and family history.

This one is also narrated by Stephany Murphy and she once again did a fantastic job, she always manages to transmit all the feels and real deal of the raw emotions, Capturing Markinson’s story very well.

I was given this free copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
My rating and my review was not in anyway affected by my having been provided a review copy.

[Tony Hisgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit I nearly didn’t bother reading this book as I found the first book in the series irritating, but I am glad I did.
The star of the book is Lizzie who finds relationships confusing and struggles to come to terms with her obnoxious family while trying to understand her own wife and friends. The difference between the two books is that in the first I became so aggravated with her I just didn’t care, in this book I really wanted her to get through her troubles.
I hope there will be more books in this series, as I want to find out how Lizzie will cope with motherhood.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great follow up to a woman lost! I wonder if there will be another installment of life with Lizzie and Sarah? Lizzie still struggles with life, and is thrown new challenges. Sarah is such a stabilizing factor in her life. I like how their story has progressed.

[Lorraine Rusnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked Lizzie much better in this story. Even though she was dealing with some life changing issues there were moments I had to chuckle at. Lizzie has already come a long way and I look forward to her and Sarah raising kids. Stephanie has managed to get all the voices perfect. On to the next😉

[Beth Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in this series by T B Markinson proved to be another great read and even though it is part of a series I don't think you would be lost if you read this one without reading the first one. I received a copy of this novel for review purposes but quite honestly---this is one that I would buy in a heart beat because I love her writing.

In A Woman Ignored the reader picks up with Lizzie, the main character, and her wife, Sarah. Lizzie has distanced herself from her very dysfunctional family and is thrown a bit of a curve ball when Sarah announces that she wants to start a family together. Lizzie balks at the idea initially but as the book continues Lizzie warms up to the idea and actually begins to embrace it.

Just when it appears that life is going to be smooth sailing Lizzie's family re-enters the picture and her life becomes more and more complicated as the tentacles of her odd family pull her back in. A cancer diagnosis for her mother mean that Lizzie must deal with a lot of repressed feelings and emotions and come to terms with making some kind of peace with her mother.

This book is true to T. B. Markinson's style. Always entertaining and well written, she offers some interesting scenarios for the reader to muddle through and figure out what direction this cast of characters will go next. I am always so very thrilled when a new book is released because this writer knows how to weave a story that draws you in. I did not read it in one sitting as I usually try to do with her books but it was very easy to pick back up and continue when my life allowed it.

Even though this is listed in the lesbian romance genre that should not keep anyone from reading it because it is a piece of great writing and very entertaining. The characters are developed so the reader can truly appreciate who they are and they show a depth that is fun to dig into. T. B. Markinson never disappoints and A Woman Ignored is another example of why I love to read anything that she writes. Thanks for another great read and for continuing the story.

[Carol Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was brilliant!

I already loved Lizzie from the previous books in the Woman Lost Series, but in this story we got to see a bit more of the real Lizzie, and she was fabulous.

I loved how this story addition to the series further explored Lizzie and Sarah’s relationship, and took Lizzie on emotional journey I don’t think she’d ever considered she’d have. It was very heartfelt and emotional reading this story in the series, and it explored many morals. The realisations about her life, relationships, and past for Lizzie really make the experience when reading this story and gave me as a reader a better connection to a much loved characters.

As with all the books previously in the Woman Lost series, T. B. Markinson has kept the comic pacing that naturally surrounds Lizzie and the sarcasm that accompanies most of her thoughts towards her family. Lizzie is such a relatable and awkward character that I can’t help but fall in love with her all over again with each book in the series I read. She really is fantastic.

Sarah has such a positive effect on Lizzie and their dynamic is what really brings this series to life, but it really is Lizzie and her story that captures your heart as a reader and always leaves you longing for more. You really get to experience her life first hand and it’s so unique.
A wonderful read that has me craving more of this series (so luckily there are more books in the series already!)

If you haven’t yet discovered Lizzie and the Woman Lost Series it’s not too late. I love that the books can be read in order, or stand alone and you can still enjoy the story. What are you waiting for, go discover Lizzie’s strange, chaotic, but amazing life today!

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Know what I hate? Having to wait for the next book! I really love the characters in T.B. Markinson's series which includes: A Woman Lost (book 1) and A Woman Ignored (book 2). I relate to Lizzie, the main character, a lot.

You know, I have had a hard time figuring out how these two books kept me so enthralled. There was no great mystery to figure out. No one is flying in spaceships. Nor is there a race to the finish of any kind. Yet I could not stop reading until I was finished with this second book. And though there is no cliffhanger, I am holding my breath hoping for the next steps.

I've had the kind of mother that Lizzie had. I've been through a lot of things like she has. No, I'm not rich with my own trust fund, which means I had to work harder at relating to others and still have a very hard time. Being with people wears me out. I think that is why I found myself reading a lot about autism and Asperger's syndromes. And often my friends choose to show me how naïve I am. What they don't understand is that I don't know any other way of being. Thank goodness they still want to be friends with me, just as Lizzie's friends cling to her. Ms. Markinson writes her world and characters so realistic that you feel you are hanging out with people you have known forever. And that is why when tragedy strikes it hurts the reader deeply.

If you get the chance to read these two books give them a try. Maybe you can explain how much empathy can be had for a reader. I picked the first one up for free though it is only $2.99 right now. And I see that book two is now free on Kindle Unlimited.

[Susan Swiderski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up the story from where it ends in "A Woman Lost." I think it's possible to read this one as a stand-alone without getting hopelessly lost, but why would you? Might as well get the benefit of all the background goodies in the first book first.

Lizzie is still trying to rise above her past, mostly by staying as far away from her dysfunctional family as she can, while concentrating on building a better life with Sarah. She's doing just fine, too, until her mother is diagnosed with cancer. Now, her father says Lizzie is "expected" to take her mother to and from radiation treatments and doctor appointments... and that her mother "wants" her to do so. Who are they trying to kid? What it amounts to is a command performance, and Lizzie knows it. With her father and brother unwilling to take care of dear old mom, what choice does Lizzy have? Talk about mixed emotions, though. Lizzie hates her mother... so why is she so torn up about the thought of her dying? In the process of doing her "duty," will Lizzie learn to show compassion to the woman who is incapable of offering any to her? Will she finally speak up for herself, and tell off the whole darned family, or will she summon the courage to love them, in spite of their faults?

This is another fine book, full of true-to-life issues about life, love, family, and friendship.

[T.F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved A Woman Lost and was super excited when A Woman Ignored came out.

Poor Lizzie doesn’t have it easy, especially after she thought everything was calming down with her life. But now the talk of a baby with her wife is bringing the stress back. Except majority of the story deals with the dysfunctional relation between Lizzie and her mother, and the difficult situation Lizzie is forced into. We know Lizzie dislikes her mother a lot, but she’s got a heart of gold and still struggles with her emotions when it comes to her mother. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s a lot of emotional tension.

Like A Woman Lost, this book had a strong voice and fabulous humor to balance all the emotional topics. Fantastic writing, deep character development, and an engrossing story I couldn’t put down. Fantastic.

Sure home Markinson plans book 3 in this series.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a small jump in time from the first book. Historian Lizzie Petrie now has her PHD, and is doing writing and research which she loves. She is also now married and settled into life with high school teacher Sarah. Two things are the major focus. Sarah wants to start a family which brings on all kinds of insecurities for Lizzie. And Lizzie’s mother who she’s never felt approval from has cancer. The story was compelling. There is humor with Sarah and friend Maddie. I love the setting and can imagine the rutting Elk in Estes Park because I’ve seen them. Lizzie has come a ways from the first book with love and therapy. So glad I can continue on to the next in the series. (3.5 stars)

[Maame · Rating 5 out of 5]

As wonderful as the first one. Could not put it down. One of the many things l like about Ms Markinson's characters is that no matter how messed up they are, they are highly educated. I liked Lizzy's struggle to feel anything for her mother because of all the things her mother never did for her. As someone who works at a long term facility l can definitely understand that. This was a good and fast read. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended, even if you haven't read the first one you can still follow.

[XR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is great! I love reading a series and it's the same couple as the main characters. It's cool watching their life unfold. This was a little rough, reading about Lizzie's mother, but man the whole situation was so genuinely written... the conflict Lizzie was feeling, Sarah's big heart and protectiveness to protect Lizzie. They're great together.

Also, Maddie and Sarah's friendship is so cool... I love how cute and hilarious they are when they gang up on Lizzie. Doug's a great addition.

[Michelle Schuler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie and Sarah

We left off in the last book, Lizzie was fighting to keep Sarah. On their return, they are now stronger than before. We continue to see their relationship grow amongst chaos and Maddie. I love this series by T.B. Markinson.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

By now, we all know that Lizzie is not too in love with change. So, when Sarah tells her that she wants to have her baby she's unsettled. Mainly, because her family story leads her to belive that she won't be a good mother.

While she's still trying to grip what this would mean, how having a baby will change her life, she gets a call from her father: her mother is dying and she's expected to take care of her.

Endings and beginnings, this is what this book is about. Getting at peace with the past, stop fearing the future and understand that we are not our parents.

I loved Lizzie here, for the first time, really loved her. We see how much she has changed when it comes to understanding her feelings and embracing love and the responsibilities that come with it.

There are some very emotional moments, and some that made me laugh out loud (Oh, Lizzie! I adore your inner thoughts!), and although it's permeated with sadness, in the end, this is a hopeful story.

So far, this is my favourite book in the series.

[Lyn Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie Part Two. When I began reading Lizzie's story in the first book I wasn't sure I liked her. But as I read on I began to feel for her. We're all the result of many influences, our personalities, our upbringing, and Lizzie is a prime example. I'm really enjoying that she tries to take tentative steps through life, searching for her direction, and that she appreciates Sarah holding her hand. Laugh and cry with this one.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie has always been self-absorbed and afraid of commitment, but when she chased her girlfriend, Sarah, away in the first book of this series, A Woman Lost, she almost ruined the first good thing to ever happen to her. Now, two years later, Lizzie has finally acquired some coping skills, and she and Sarah have bought a new house and are married, living a life that follows a nice, steady pattern. Then two bombshells are dropped in quick succession. Sarah announces that she wants a baby, and Lizzie’s mom has stage four colon cancer. Suddenly, all the old insecurities come flooding back, and Lizzie feels conflicted in more ways than one.

From the opening paragraph of A Woman Ignored, I felt like the first book had never ended, and I was reunited with family again, feeling how overwhelmed Lizzie was, yet chuckling along with her friends and family over Lizzie’s reaction to the idea of being a mother. As usual, Markinson’s writing style is right up my alley, with a wonderful mixture of serious, complex issues and humour and sarcasm in just the right places to make you smile despite the other emotions you are feeling. It’s important in real life to be able to laugh in the face of adversity, and even when everyone is laughing at Lizzie, they are actually supporting her. Lizzie doesn’t handle change well at all and she often comes across as selfish and stubborn, but the challenges she must now face will force her to go deep within herself to discover her greatest hidden strength, her ability to love and care for others, which might help her to cope with parents who, after years of ignoring her and not supporting her in any aspect of her life, suddenly need her by their sides. It’s quite interesting watching Lizzie’s inner battle as the news of her mother’s illness hits her hard despite how cruel her mother was to her while growing up. It makes her really examine her feelings for her family. All of a sudden, she’s facing the unpredictability of life and death and seeing her parents as she has never seen them before. Cancer has a way of changing everyone and bringing their vulnerabilities to the surface.

One of my favourite aspects of this book is how Lizzie is surrounded every day by people who will support her no matter what, even if sometimes they have to tell her to smarten up first. I love the fact that after such a difficult and painful childhood, she now has friends who are by her side through thick and thin. As characters, they all seem to complement each other, and they are definitely the glue that holds Lizzie together.

How would I sum this book up? It’s a flawlessly written story of relationships and the many challenges that go along with them because of the diversity of the personalities surrounding us. The characters deal with so many of today’s relevant issues that I’m sure that anyone who reads this story will find something or someone to identify with. It’s a rich and complex story of growth, discovery, and acceptance, with an ending that left me feeling uplifted. T.B. Markinson is growing in leaps and bounds as an author with every book she writes, and I for one hope that she will continue Lizzie’s story because I’m curious to see what happens next.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you read and enjoyed A Woman Lost, then you'll love this book. While, on a personal level, I still don't really relate to any of the characters, I nevertheless was enthralled by the story. The writing is very strong, the characters all have such clear voices, and this time I found I was actually rooting for Lizzie most of the time, which wasn't really the case in the first book; she's actually been working on her issues here and has made some progress. Granted, she hasn't made a lot of it, but she's trying. Mostly.

Part of me wishes this series were written in third-person, though. I'm certainly not deducting any stars for it, but I really would've liked to have seen more of Sarah's thoughts and issues. First-person is a perfectly viable perspective, but Lizzie is so introverted, so antisocial, so myopic in her dealings with other people, that her perspective doesn't really provide any insight into anyone else. She typically has absolutely no idea what's going on with the people around her, so we don't either.

Still, that's nitpicking. The very same personal qualities that make Lizzie so bad at understanding human beings are the qualities that make her such a memorable character, and some of that would be lost in third-person. Being inside Lizzie's head as she goes on her first outing to Chuck E. Cheese's was definitely worth it.

4.5 stars.

[MJ Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie has made a good life for herself in the time since we last saw her in "A Woman Lost". Sarah and her are still very much in love, even after another round of house hunting and a wedding which almost sent the Lizzie of several years ago running for the hills. But just as Lizzie and Sarah are preparing for the next stage of their relationship: motherhood, her relationship with her own mother comes back into the spotlight.

This was a wonderful story, the relationship between the characters seem very real and brutally honest. TB Markinson did an excellent job of keeping true to the characters' relationships but getting them to relate to one another like they never had before. I like how "The Scotch Lady" got to explain herself a little and we saw how the history of the family wasn't doomed to repeat itself. I hope we get to see Lizzie again and read what she's been up to.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie and Sarah are married, having overcome their relationship difficulties in the previous book. Now it’s time to make a baby, which fills Lizzie with so many worries about doctor appointments, egg extraction, and child rearing itself.

More family issues barrel into Lizzie’s life. She was never close to her parents, particularly her mother, and her brother is an arrogant, amoral fool. When tragedy strikes the family, Lizzie has to face feelings and revelations that are both brutal and healing.

Lizzie, her wife, her family members, and her friends came off as realistic. Their conflicts were emotionally powerful, yet there was some humor to take the edge off serious matters. I would love to read a book 3 if it’s in the works.

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than the first book. In the first book Lizzie was kind of adrift with herself and her relationship with Sarah. In this book she knows what she wants out of the relationship and is on more firm footing, so her personality, quirks and all, shines--making for a more interesting character. The book is also more humorous, making the dialogue fun to read. A lot of the humor is from Maddie and Sarah picking on Lizzie. I would of preferred more of a reconciliation with her parents, namely her mother, but not everything in life is always that perfect. At least her father showed signs of coming around, should be interesting to see that played out in future books.

[Cal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so annoyed with Lizzie after book 1 and this installation softened that. At this point in the series (as I’m reviewing after I finished book 5), we get to see more of Lizzie’s family dynamic as a good portion of this revolves around her dealing with her mom’s illness and her mother (this unlikeable complex character). I thought it was a good read as it went into the complicated family dynamic and Lizzie navigating her past and who she is and wants to be while still moving her relationship with Sara.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the first pages of this novel, I didn't think I could get into it, but I quickly fell in love with the narrator's voice. By the end of the book, I was enjoying every second inside Lizzie's skull, with all her awkwardness and honesty and heart. Relationships between characters were realistically messy, even the loving ones, and Lizzie grew and changed in a way that seemed organic.

[Joelenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Sequel

I love this follow up to A Woman Lost. I'm never disappointed in anything by T. B. Marlins on and I'm defiantly looking forward to her next.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it! The only negative thing I have to say about it is that I wish it had been longer! I really hope there's going to be a third book in the series!

[cheri carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Tory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book

I really enjoyed this book. I like the characters and the story. I read this book in two sittings. You can’t go wrong with anything by T. B. Markinson.